The Archives

Browse past years of The Ensemble and The World Ensemble issues.

Ten years of The Ensemble and five years of The World Ensemble are here, including The World Ensemble Resource Basket and Spanish language editions, The Ensemble Action of the Month, and Grace Notes, a collection of Editorials by Tricia Tunstall for The Ensemble.

Here too are a dozen articles that provide a good introduction to the newsletters as well as a news and resource update:

• Editorial: Arts Education and Public Health: Building New Partnerships for a Post-COVID World, Daniel Mora-Brito, Special Advisor, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (November 2020)
• Editorial: Using On-Screen Learning to Strengthen Our Ties with Families, Dennie Palmer Wolf, leading arts education researcher, WolfBrown (June 2020)
• An Open Letter to My Students, Joe Conyers, Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Principal Bassist, and Founder, Project 440 (July 2020)
• Editorial: The Power of Believing in Our Communities, Axelle Miel (December 2020)
• The Toki School of Music: A Living Legacy in Rapa Nui, Kendall Grady (November 2020)
• The Rainbow Academy: Warriors of the Rainbow Nation, South Africa, Denay Willie (September 2020)
• Government Support Is Essential, Especially Right Now, Eldevina Materula, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Mozambique; Founder, Xiquitsi Orchestra (October 2020)
• The Influence of Music Education on Developing Children, Assal Habibi and Beatriz Ilari, Brain and Creativity Institute, U.S.C. (January 2020)
• Dispatch from the Venezuelan Diaspora, Rodrigo Guerrero (September 2020)
• A Mexican Village Hosts an International Music Festival, Felix Alanis (November 2019)
• Ceding the Floor to Young People in Crisis Times, Francis Gagliardi (October 2020)
• Youth-Driven Online Music-Making: Channeling innovation through the screen and into the global community (January 2021)
• Resource: Looking Out Foundation Offers Grants to Serve and Amplify Organizations in Need (December 2020)
• News: AMP Academy of Rare Instrument Program (December 2020)

2020

The Ensemble December 2020 The Influence of Music Education on Developing Children The Ensemble November 2020 Canada Connects The Ensemble October 2020 Music as a Birthright in Elkhart County The Ensemble September 2020 Student Voices Take the Lead The Ensemble August 2020 Creating an Anti-Racist World The Ensemble July 2020 The Importance of Mission Statements The Ensemble June 2020 Sharing Our Work during COVID-19 The Ensemble May 2020 Atlanta Music Project: Music from the African Diaspora The Ensemble April 2020 Crossing Borders: A Musical Passport to the World The Ensemble March 2020 The 2020 El Sistema USA Symposium & Seminario The Ensemble February 2020 Harmonizing Across Many Languages; The Social Determinants of Health; Inclusion through Tiered-Parts Music; News and Resources The Ensemble January 2020 Mourning and Honoring a Student Leader; Renewing the Call for Collective Action; It (Still) Takes a Village; News and Resources; Action of the Month

The World Ensemble December 2020 The Power of Believing in Our Communities The World Ensemble November 2020 Arts Education and Public Health: Building New Partnerships for a Post-COVID World The World Ensemble October 2020 Government Support is Essential, Especially Right Now The World Ensemble September 2020 Virtual Music-Making as a Tool for Diplomacy The World Ensemble August 2020 Music, Standing Still The World Ensemble July 2020 Sangeet4All: Celebrating Multiple Musical Cultures The World Ensemble June 2020 Pivoting in Response to Community Need The World Ensemble May 2020 Pondering Inclusion in Times of COVID-19 The World Ensemble April 2020 In Crisis, New Opportunity for Artists: The United Nations Wants Our Help! The World Ensemble March 2020 El Sistema Venezuela Turns 45 The World Ensemble February 2020 Competition, the Sistema Way The World Ensemble January 2020 Athens to Texas: “We’re With You”

These monthly actions are dedicated to the students and communities we serve. Action of the Month October 2020 Calling on Young Arts Heroes to Help Action of the Month September 2020 Consider Endorsing Federal Arts Policy Proposal Action of the Month August 2020 Support The Breathe Act Action of the Month July 2020 Support Call for Greater Access to Music Education for Black Students Action of the Month June 2020 Help Reduce Food Insecurity Action of the Month May 2020 Action for the Month: Write the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts Action of the Month Mar. 2020 Action for the Month: Support a Creative Generation Action of the Month Jan. 2020 Speak Out against Harmful Changes to the SNAP Program

The World Ensemble Resource Basket WE Resource Basket December 2020 WE Resource Basket November 2020 WE Resource Basket October 2020 WE Resource Basket September 2020 WE Resource Basket August 2020 WE Resource Basket July 2020 WE Resource Basket June 2020 WE Resource Basket May 2020 WE Resource Basket April 2020 WE Resource Basket March 2020 WE Resource Basket February 2020 WE Resource Basket January 2020

2019

The Ensemble December 2019 Sistema as a School; Quality Curriculum; Habits of Mind The Ensemble November 2019 Partnering with Parents; Sebastian Ruth Editorial; Environmentalism The Ensemble October 2019 Aesthetic Perspectives; Mariachi; Transfer to Longy The Ensemble September 2019 Principles of Scale; Transition for The Ensemble; Being Undocumented The Ensemble August 2019 YOLA National Festival and Symposium; Side by Side by El Sistema Sweden The Ensemble July 2019 Interlochen; Parent Engagement; Side by Side by El Sistema Sweden The Ensemble June 2019 New Way to Evaluate Student Progress Fairly; 10 Years of YOLA; Dudamel in NJ The Ensemble May 2019 PlayUSA, A Sistema Mother, Repertoire for Engagement The Ensemble April 2019 The Archipelago Project, Meludia, “Excellence” The Ensemble March 2019 El Sistema USA National Symposium The Ensemble February 2019 Visionary Youth Orchestra, Collective Composition, A Dudamel Moment The Ensemble January 2019 Teaching Sistema Students to Teach, SerHacer at Mass Cultural Council, Reflections on 2018

The World Ensemble December 2019 We Have Work to Do In How We Describe Our Work The World Ensemble November 2019 When the Arrows are Words, Best to Just Let Them In The World Ensemble October 2019 The Global Leaders Plant a Musical Seed in Tlaxcala, Mexico The World Ensemble September 2019 Sistema Aotearoa Grows in New Zealand The World Ensemble August 2019 Architects of Music: Building a bridge between Uganda and Germany through musical education The World Ensemble July 2019 Teach a Man to Fish: Sonidos de la Tierra and the Power of Community Autonomy The World Ensemble June 2019 Intentional or Accidental? Creating Powerful Organizational Culture The World Ensemble May 2019 Words into Music with the National Orchestra for All The World Ensemble April 2019 Ten Years of Music Enlightenment Project The World Ensemble March 2019 The Dream Orchestra of El Sistema Sweden The World Ensemble February 2019 2019 Global Leaders Program Cohort Gathers in Chile The World Ensemble January 2019 Introducing the World Ensemble Ambassadors Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Septiembre 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Agosto 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Julio 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Mayo 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Abril 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Febrero 2019 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Enero 2019

Action of the Month December 2019 Actively support the Family Friendly Schools Act Action of the Month November 2019 Urge Your Elected Representatives to Join the Arts Caucus Action of the Month October 2019 Protect Free Lunch Program for Sistema Students Who Need Them Action of the Month September 2019 Join the Unified Response to the End of Data Gathering on Arts Education Action of the Month August 2019 Learn about, talk about, presidential candidates’ arts policies Action of the Month June 2019 Support an Increase in Federal Arts in Education Funding Action of the Month May 2019 Rally Votes for MYCincinnati to Win a National Community Impact Award Action of the Month April 2019 Support the CREATE Act Action of the Month February 2019 Oppose Proposed Big Spending Reductions in After School Programming Action of the Month January 2019 Get All Teaching Artists on the National Map

The World Ensemble Resource Basket WE Resource Basket December 2019 WE Resource Basket November 2019 WE Resource Basket October 2019 WE Resource Basket September 2019 WE Resource Basket August 2019 WE Resource Basket July 2019 WE Resource Basket June 2019 WE Resource Basket May 2019 WE Resource Basket April 2019 WE Resource Basket March 2019 WE Resource Basket February 2019 WE Resource Basket January 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Diciembre 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Agosto 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Julio 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Junio 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Febrero 2019 El cesto de recursos del WE de Enero 2019

2018

The Ensemble December 2018 The Young Artist’s Initiative in Philly, Supporting Success, The Problem with Pop Music The Ensemble November 2018 More than the Sum of Our Parts The Ensemble October 2018 National Alliance for Audition Support, ITAC4, Take A Stand Junior Orchestra The Ensemble September 2018 Winter Concerts, Teaching Urban Youth, Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra The Ensemble August 2018 Take A Stand 2018, Social Curriculum, 10 Years of Questions The Ensemble July 2018 Preparing for Big Events, Therapy in Sistema, Cell Phones The Ensemble June 2018 Summer Camps; Self-regulation; Students around the World The Ensemble May 2018 Sistema Jazz; Engaging Families, Remembering Draylen Mason The Ensemble April 2018 PlayUSA, Remembering Abreu, Internship to Leadership The Ensemble March 2018 Longy Sistema Side-by-Side, Pre-K Music, Orchestral Community The Ensemble February 2018 ESUSA Symposium, Creative Composition, Racial/Cultural Diversity The Ensemble January 2018 Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere”; Responding to Natural Disaster; Giving Praise

The World Ensemble December 2018 Social Impact Depends on Musical Excellence The World Ensemble November 2018 Setting Up New Locations: Five Things You Should Do First The World Ensemble October 2018 A Global Field of Teaching Artists The World Ensemble September 2018 Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra Expands Its Vision and Process The World Ensemble August 2018 Developing & Supporting “Executive Function” The World Ensemble July 2018 Side by Gigantic Side by El Sistema Sweden The World Ensemble June 2018 Musica para la vida en Méjico The World Ensemble May 2018 Music for Recognizing Ourselves: Batuta, The Colombian Sistema The World Ensemble April 2018 José Antonio Abreu: A Remembrance and Celebration The World Ensemble March 2018 All About Europe’s Superar The World Ensemble February 2018 What Helps Students to Continue Studying Music Past Primary School? The World Ensemble January 2018 Music as the Language of Humanity, Love, and Connectedness Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Diciembre 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Octubre 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Septiembre 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Agosto 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Julio 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Junio 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Mayo 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Abril 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Marzo 2018 Ensemble Mundial Boletín de Febrero 2018

Action of the Month December 2018 Sign the National “Orchestras Support In-School Music Education” Statement Action of the Month November 2018 Give Thanks to Teaching Artists on Giving Tuesday Action of the Month October 2018 Improve the Wikipedia Page on El Sistema Action of the Month September 2018 Write Your Opposition to Government Funding Cutbacks for Sistema Toronto Action of the Month August 2018 Join the Yale Declaration on Equity in Music for City Students Action of the Month July 2018 Speak of the national Sistema network this month Action of the Month May 2018 Honor Draylen Mason at Your Year-End Concert Action of the Month April 2018 Include a tribute to José Antonio Abreu in your newsletter Action of the Month March 2018 Support the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to prevent ICE intrusions in Sistema sites Action of the Month January 2018 Email the Senior Deputy Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

The World Ensemble Resource Basket The WE Resource Basket December 2018 The WE Resource Basket November 2018 The WE Resource Basket October 2018 The WE Resource Basket September 2018 The WE Resource Basket August 2018 The WE Resource Basket July 2018 The WE Resource Basket June 2018 The WE Resource Basket May 2018 The WE Resource Basket April 2018 The WE Resource Basket March 2018 The WE Resource Basket February 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Diciembre 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Octubre 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Septiembre 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Agosto 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Mayo 2018 El cesto de recursos del WE de Febrero 2018

2017

The Ensemble December 2017 Texas Band Traditions, Leadership Skills, Becoming A Whole Field The Ensemble November 2017 El Sistema Alliances in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Europe The Ensemble October 2017 WolfBrown-Longy National Research, Radical Reciprocity The Ensemble September 2017 Classical Music & Racial Equity, Colourstrings, Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra The Ensemble August 2017 Take A Stand Festival and Symposium The Ensemble July 2017 Partnering with Schools, Apprenticeships, Paying Teaching Artists The Ensemble June 2017 Sistema Connect, League of American Orchestras, Going on Retreat The Ensemble May 2017 Special Student Issue–about being a student, about teachers The Ensemble April 2017 Collective Impact, Berklee City Music The Ensemble March 2017 Early Learners, SphinxConnect, Venezuela’s message The Ensemble February 2017 The Role of the Guest Artist, 21st Century Skills The Ensemble January 2017 PlayUSA Action Research, the “Inner Guide”, Dealing with Race

The World Ensemble December 2017 The Young Leaders Orchestra of Sistema England, Should We Include Middle Class Kids? The World Ensemble Fall 2017 Very Young Composers around the World, The Most Amazing Concert Ever The World Ensemble Issue 3 Summer 2017 El Sistema Academy, “Love People” Global Film, Sistema Connect The World Ensemble Issue 2 Spring 2017 Professional Orchestras & Sistema, Energizing Historical Context, Dealing with Gangs The World Ensemble Issue 1 Winter 2017 Young Leaders Orchestra, Migrant Camp Program, Mozambique Ensemble Mundial, 2017 Edición 4 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2017 Edición 3 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2017 Edición 2 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2017 Edición 1 (En Español)

Action of the Month December 2017 Email Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska Action of the Month November 2017 Write to three local candidates about their music education policies Action of the Month October 2017 Get the word out about the first national research on El Sistema Action of the Month September 2017 Write local media about Committee on the Arts and Humanities resignations Action of the Month July 2017 Help first world Sistema video go viral Action of the Month June 2017 Help the Workman Orchestra Action of the Month May 2017 Tweet and Instagram using #WeAreSistema Action of the Month April 2017 Email Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska Action of the Month February 2017 Write the new Obama Foundation Action of the Month January 2017 Write Anne Midgette at The Washington Post

The WE Resource Basket Fall 2017

2016

The Ensemble December 2016 Radical Self-Expression, Mozart & Kids in the Jungle The Ensemble November 2016 Developing Creative Capacity, Sistema-and-School Music Teaching The Ensemble October 2016 El Sistema USA, Student POV of Take a Stand Festival, Sistema and Trouble in Venezuela The Ensemble September 2016 National Take A Stand Festival; WolfBrown Research Study The Ensemble August 2016 Graduate Programs in Sistema Teaching; Sistema as a Health Program The Ensemble July 2016 Evaluating Programs; Teaching Artists; What Music Should We Play? The Ensemble June 2016 Commissioning and Arranging for Sistema; Performing for Students The Ensemble May 2016 Intuitive Teaching & Brain Science; learning behind the scenes for the Super Bowl The Ensemble April 2016 San Diego Youth Symphony Conference, Conducting the Simon Bolivar Symphony The Ensemble March 2016 Roots of Social Change through Music; M.A.T. in Sistema Teaching The Ensemble February 2016 Canadian Programs with Indigenous Populations; a Venezuelan View of U.S. Students The Ensemble January 2016 Catalytic Visitor from Venezuela; Working toward Racial Equity

The World Ensemble Issue 4 Fall 2016 Taking Students Abroad, a Social Curriculum, Building Motivation The World Ensemble Issue 3 Summer 2016 Executive Function, Singing Across and Entire Program, Under Military Occupation The World Ensemble Issue 2 Spring 2016 Sistema in Prisons, Community-building in Sweden, a Student Voice The World Ensemble Issue 1 Winter 2016 News, Creating Sistema Europe, El Sistema Japan Weekends, Ghetto Classics/Nairobi Ensemble Mundial, 2016 Edición 4 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2016 Edición 3 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2016 Edición 2 (En Español) Ensemble Mundial, 2016 Edición 1 (En Español)

Action of the Month December 2016 Write to Congressman Elijah Cummings, outspoken proponent of El Sistema-inspired programs

2015

The Ensemble December 2015 Two Programs with Distinctive Features; Placing Our Chips On Beauty The Ensemble November 2015 Take a Stand Initiative for National Sistema Youth Orchestra The Ensemble October 2015 Summer Camps; Seminarios; Male Role Models in Sistema Programs The Ensemble September 2015 Getting the Right Instruments; High Ambition in Sistema Programs The Ensemble August 2015 Public Funding for Sistema Programs; Collaborative Composition; Teaching Artistry and El Sistema The Ensemble July 2015 “Dear Orchestra,” From a Sistema Student; Inclusion Sistema Sweden Style The Ensemble June 2015 Graduating Sistema Students; WolfBrown research; Corporate Social Responsibility in the Philippines The Ensemble May 2015 Elkhart County Sistema Coalition; Community Sistema Ensembles The Ensemble April 2015 News from Sistema Canada; Soundpainting; Group Creativity The Ensemble March 2015 Brain Benefits of Music Learning; In School and In Sistema; 40th Anniversary Big Concert The Ensemble February 2015 Sustainable Growth; Sistema Census; El Sistema 40th anniversary The Ensemble January 2015 Sistema Programs’ Uses of Chamber Music and Bucket Band; Response to Baker Book

2014

The Ensemble December 2014 Meanings of Social Inclusion; Learning In and From Brazil The Ensemble November 2014 International Sistema Teachers Conference, Spirit of Venezuelan Sistema The Ensemble October 2014 Dalcroze, Suzuki, The Many Pedagogies of El Sistema The Ensemble September 2014Sistema Learning in Non-Music Activities; Teaching Very Young Children; The Aesthetic Dimension of El Sistema The Ensemble August 2014 Learning from Sistemas Scotland and England; Competition in El Sistema The Ensemble July 2014 Addressing Funder Priorities, The Many Languages of Sistema Song, Maslow Turned Upside Down The Ensemble June 2014 Visionary Boldness in VZ Sistema; Smale-Scale Steps and Sustainability in U.S. Sistema The Ensemble May 2014 Pre-Orchestra programs; Conversation with Arturo Márquez; Sistema Arrangements for Special Occasions The Ensemble April 2014 Evaluating “Sistematically”; Sistema Mexico The Ensemble March 2014 Take a Stand Symposium Highlights The Ensemble February 2014 Refreshing Pan-National Wisdom; Creating Local Alliances The Ensemble January 2014 Musical Arrangements for Sistema Programs

2013

The Ensemble December 2013 Supporting Our Teachers The Ensemble November 2013 Sistema Summers; Sistema Japan The Ensemble October 2013 Activating the U.S. Movement The Ensemble September 2013 Expanding Sistem-Inspired Programs The Ensemble August 2013 When Professional Orchestras Sponsor Núcleos The Ensemble July 2013 Volunteers in Our Programs; Teaching the Skills of Music Listening The Ensemble June 2013 Student Stories; The Issue of Genre The Ensemble May 2013 El Sistema Goes to School The Ensemble April 2013 Sistema in Canada; Message from Barquisimeto The Ensemble March 2013 Composition; Group Intrinsic Motivation The Ensemble February 2013 NYC Seminario; Evolving Teaching Practices The Ensemble January 2013 Philadelphia Symposium; Performance and Education

2012

The Ensemble December 2012 Growth in the National Movement; Responding to Critics The Ensemble November 2012 Chorus in El Sistema; El Sistema: For Poor Kids Only? The Ensemble October 2012 “Behavior Management” The Ensemble September 2012 Getting Rep, Resources and Us Together The Ensemble August 2012 World-Wide Sistema; El Sistema Japan The Ensemble July 2012 Perspectives on Program Expansion; Mind the Gap The Ensemble June 2012 Needs Assessment Data and Meaning The Ensemble May 2012 Sistema USA at the Crossroads; Thinking Big The Ensemble April 2012 New El Sistema-Inspired MAT Program; Pedagogy, Venezuela-Style The Ensemble March 2012 The First West Coast Seminario The Ensemble February 2012 The Take-A-Stand Symposium; One-Goal Thinking The Ensemble January 2012 Abreu Fellows First National Survey; Inter-American Sistema

2011

The Ensemble December 2011 Cultivating Future Leaders and Sites; Knowing the Mission The Ensemble November 2011 Inaugural Issue; Teaching El Sistema